Florida's thirty-first state senate district is currently represented by Democratic Senator Lori Berman.

Florida state senators represent an average of 470,033 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 399,559 residents.

About the office

Members of the Florida State Senate serve four-year terms with term limits. However, in the election following reapportionment, some senators are elected to two-year terms, in order to maintain staggered terms among the senators. Florida legislators assume office two weeks following their election.

Qualifications

To run for the Florida State Senate, candidates must be 21 years old, have lived in Florida for two years and live in the district they intend to serve.

Salaries

Term limits

The Florida legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Florida Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that Florida senators are subject to term limits of no more than two four-year terms.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2000.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, a special election must be called to fill the vacant seat. The Governor is responsible for calling the election and must consult with the Secretary of State to set the election dates and nominating deadlines. The person elected to fill the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Florida State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 18, 2020. The filing deadline is June 12, 2020.

2018

Special election

A special election for the position of Florida State Senate District 31 was called for April 10, 2018. A special primary election was called for January 30, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was December 6, 2017.

On November 20, 2017, the Florida Democratic Party filed a lawsuit requesting that the dates for special elections in House District 114 and Senate District 31 be moved up so that legislators for those districts could be in place for the 2018 legislative session. The House District 114 election was called for May 1, 2018.

The seat became vacant following Jeff Clemens' (D) resignation. His resignation came after he publicly admitted to having an affair with a lobbyist.

Lori Berman defeated Arthur Morrison in the Democratic primary on January 30, 2018. Tami L. Donnally was unopposed in the Republican primary. Berman defeated Donnally in the special election.

The primary elections were canceled.

The primary elections were canceled.

2016

Elections for the Florida State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 30, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 24, 2016.

Incumbent Jeff Clemens ran unopposed in the Florida State Senate District 31 general election.
Incumbent Jeff Clemens defeated Emmanuel Morel and Irving Slosberg in the Florida State Senate District 31 Democratic primary.

Florida State Senate, District 31 Democratic Primary, 2016

2012

Elections for the Florida State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 14, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 8, 2012. Incumbent Christopher Smith (D) defeated Christopher Smithmyer (R) in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in the August 14 primary elections.

Florida State Senate, District 31, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2012 to 2016, candidates for Florida State Senate District 31 raised a total of $2,533,386. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $506,677 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Florida State Senate District 31